Sept. 2, 2005

Dikembe Mutombo, Jerome Williams, Joe Touomou and Coach John Thompson Jr. will head to Africa in conjunction with the NBA's "Basketball Without Borders" international community outreach program. Mutombo, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been designated to lead the contingent as they run an instructional basketball camp in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 7-12.

The program will assemble 100 campers from more than 20 countries across Africa. The International Basketball Association (FIBA) selects the young players, ages 16-19 on their basketball skills, leadership abilities and overall dedication to the sport. Along with basketball instruction and competition, the camp incorporates seminars on leadership, education, sportsmanship and healthy living. The week will be highlighted by extensive community outreach activities focused on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

This is Dikembe and Coach Thompson's second trip with "Basketball Without Borders" this year. In July, they traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina for the program's stop in South America. This was the first leg of the 2005 initiative, later stopping in Asia and Europe before moving on to Africa. To date more than 440 youngsters from 72 different nations and territories have taken part in the annual camps, since its inaugural trip in July 2001.

For more information visit www.nba.com/bwb/